Tag: Universal Pictures

STRAYS (2023) – Review

This Summer the multiplex has been filled with superheroes, supercars, giant robots, dolls, atom bombs, and secret agents. So, where’s “man’s best friend”? How about a sweet family-friendly flick about those angelic “fur babies”? This weekend that request is addressed…sorta’. Yes, it’s full of cute, cuddly (mostly) live-action canines, but it is far from family-friendly as you can tell by the poster with one of the pups tearing into an “R” rating insert. Yes, there are a few sweet moments, but these mutts are behaving like, well, real mutts, engaging in all manner of crude activities (hence that rating). and this cursing pack of pooches would growl at being called “fur babies” as they prefer flaunting their “street cred” as STRAYS.


The first of them we meet, actually the story’s narrator, is a fuzzy naive border terrier named Reggie (voice of Will Ferrell). Oh, but his human owner calls him by a variety of nasty nicknames. That’s the slacker stoner Doug (Will Forte). who had acquired Reg for a long-departed girlfriend (smart lady). And now Doug wants to be rid of him, although Reggie thinks it’s a new fun version of “fetch”. Doug drives him to a desolate field or forest and tosses Reggie’s beloved ratty tennis ball. And the dog brings it back to their dingy shack every time. Then Doug decides to really “go for it”. The two drive two hours away from rural Oakwood to a scary big city. Poor Reggie is now truly lost. Just as it looks like he’ll be a “chew toy” for some bigger brutal dogs, he’s befriended by the self-proclaimed “street king”, a Boston terrier named Bug (VO: Jamie Foxx). While showing Reg the “ropes” he introduces him to a couple of pals. Maggie (VO: Isla Fisher) is a lovely Australian Shephard with a keen sense of smell, whose master ignores her in favor of a cute new puppy. And there’s the timid, lumbering Hunter (VO: Randall Park) a service Great Dane who won’t take off his “healing cone”.The quartet bonds and hatches a plan. Going by Reggie’s memory of “landmarks” (“a giant mouse-wheel, a huge cone, and the devil in the sky”). they’ll travel back to Doug for some very painful “payback”. But can they survive the long journey or will they end up in that fabled “farm up north”?

Careful, this is NSFW!!

Well since the title named ‘strays” are the main focus of the film, we should discuss the vocal performances of several movie comedy vets. Ferrell makes Reggie a furry canine cousin to Buddy the ELF with his sunny outlook and bouncy energetic innocence. But Ferrell is also able to convey his frightened panic and Reggie’s near-boundless joy. Foxx gives Bug a very different energy, one of (sorry) alpha-dog swagger and aggressive determination. His wall of macho is finally chipped away by Reggie when he reveals his own past heartbreak with a human. Fisher exudes pluck and spunk as the lone lady who’s usually several steps ahead of the boys when the stakes are high. The biggest laughs (his “howling” got me every time) might be those garnered by the endearing Park who makes the looming giant Hunter into a sympathetic and emotionally vulnerable hero, though full of self-esteem issues (he can’t tap into his “BDM” energy). Along the trail, the quartet encounters a surly intimidating German Shephard police dog voiced by the gregarious Rob Riggle. As for the “people”, Forte somehow upstages those adorable pups as the cruel but somehow entertaining lowlife Doug, making him more than a nasty one-note villain. There’s also a scene showcasing the terrific comic actor Bret Gelman, but his skills are squandered in a sequence that makes little sense and seems to be a way to indulge in some scatological gags (honestly).

So despite the marketing campaign that makes the R-rated content clear, even taking a cue from the “red backdrop” poster from 2019’s GOOD BOYS, some folks still think this is a fun-filled all-ages furry romp. Which it certainly is not. So, does it deliver what it promises? Yes, there are indeed more laughs than in the funny “red band” trailers from the last couple of months. And somehow the script from Dan Perrault does include some heart-tugging moments as the strays try to deal with their need to be free and the yearning for a “people parent”.Director Josh Greenbaum, in his follow-feature to the underrated gem BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, keeps the pace fairly taut at a brisk 93-minutes though the dreaded lull rears its head before the final showdown. Oh, the effects are splendid harkening back to the “Dogville” comedy shorts 90 years ago. They used classic 2D animation to make the mutts’ mouths move, while slick CGI keeps the pups chattering away, and enables them to perform all manner of dangerous slapstick (the highlight may be a sight gag about the “invisible fence”). Sure it’s crude with the doggies indulging their “animal impulses”, but if you’re in the mood for some “low-bred” laughs then you may want to join this pack of STRAYS. So “sit”, “stay” and put away that phone (“bad viewer!”).

2.5 Out of 4

STRAYS is now playing in theatres everywhere

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER – Review

Time to put away the toys, the comics, and even the big WWII history book at the old multiplex for this week’s new (but a tad old) release. I say “old” since it springs from a literary classic, one that has inspired so many cinematic adaptations (actually it has left its “mark” on all manner of media). I seem to recall its main character as a possible game show trivia answer as to which fictitious creation has been played by the greatest number of actors (he’s close behind Sherlock Holmes, I believe). So, what’s the “hook” with this? It’s not just a “straight” retelling. No, the filmmakers have taken one chapter of the original novel and have expanded it into a feature film since it’s often just a minute or two in most versions. And so now we’ll get the full “scoop” of how that “king of the vampires”, Dracula. insured that this was THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER.


This terror tale takes us back almost to the beginning of the last century, 1897. as we follow a speeding caravan through a twisty mountain pass on their way to a nearby seaport. That’s where the good ship Demeter is preparing to depart. Captain Eliot (Liam Cunningham) is there with his eight-year-old grandson Toby (Woody Norman) to assign the First Mate Wojchek (David Dastmalchian) the task of acquiring more crew members for the journey to London. Several old salts line up for the chance, but none are more eager than Cambridge grad, Dr. Clemens (Corey Hawkins). Wojchek rejects him (“those smooth hands…he’s not been working on the seas”). Then the wagons arrive via that caravan with massive wooden crates that “spook” some recruits. That and a near accident with Toby. prompts Eliot to hire Clemens. The young lad bonds with the doc as they meet the truly “motley” crew, who have dreams of a big bonus if they arrive in England earlier than agreed upon. Ah, but don’t spend that money yet. As the sun sets, strange things occur. The livestock perish, not from rabies but from something that has ripped them apart. When Clements explores the nearby cargo hold, he finds that the crates are filled mostly with dirt. But that’s not as surprising as the discovery of a near-comatose young woman, Ann (Ainsling Franciosi). Clemons attempts to cleanse her diseased blood through several transfusions. But will this weaken him and his shipmates as they discover that the animals were merely appetizers for the night creature that walks the deck under the moonlight? Can they possibly destroy him before his evil overtakes all of London?

For a vampire flick to truly soar (on bat-wings,’ natch) it requires a formidable force for the light, and here, rather than the ship’s captain, it’s the charismatic Hawkins as Clemens. From his first scenes, gambling near the dock, he projects a fierce, steely intelligence as the doctor fighting ignorance on all fronts. But he also has a real charm and warmth, whether bonding with young Toby (almost like a little brother) to his concern for the tragic Anna. Once she’s regaining her strength, Franciosi proves to be a great ally to Clemens as she pushes past her fears and channels her anger over being her village’s “sacrifice offering” to a monster. Cunningham exudes the proper gravitas as Captain Eliot while giving us a glimpse of his desire to be done with sea life. His weary eyes only brighten when he views his beloved offspring. But his other “ship son” is the surly Dastmalchian as the tough, cagey, and ever-alert Wojchek. Perhaps the most colorful of the crew is the entertaining Jon Jon Briones as the ship’s cook whose zealotry and fanaticism are almost as much a danger as the shadowy predator played with sneering animal savagery by Javier Botet.

As I mentioned earlier, screenwriters Bragi F. Schut and Zak Olkewicz have expanded on the “Captian’s Log” chapter of Bram Stoker’s novel. And they “flesh it out” with great imagination, making their crew more than just a transport for the book’s title character. They also do well with tough tasks as they create suspense even though we’re aware of the outcome, much like prequels in an ongoing movie franchise. Along the way they make the usual vampire story tropes fresh, especially in the sequences involving exposure to the sun. Best of all may be their take on the count himself. He has no need to be “wrapped in human skin”, no seducing or deceiving as he appears as a hellish “bat demon” (with perhaps a hint of the classic NOSFERATU vibe), who blends into the shadows before striking like the speed of a cobra. And be warned, no one is safe from his insatiable thirst. Kudos must also go to the costumers and art directors for transporting us back to the turn of that century and making us feel as though we’re on that grimy “working boat”. Director Andre Overdal gives the story a real sense of urgency in the opening port scenes while creating a heavy tone of impending doom. The mood on deck combines the beauty of the pounding waves with eerie foreboding, especially in the cargo hold as the crates become objects of menace. Unfortunately, after we’ve seen several “meals”, the pace slackens and the film’s focus softens (perhaps tighter editing would help). Still, the final showdown is impressive, though the epilogue seems out of sync with the rest of Stoker’s epic. But fans of the horror classics will enjoy this expansion, though the flood of gore isn’t washed away by the sea foam splashed up by THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER.

3 out of 4

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER is now playing in theatres everywhere

RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN – Review

Things have certainly gotten interesting recently with the Summer box office. Usually, we’d be talking about the records being broken by the superhero franchises or the big action-adventure “tentpoles”. Then a big switch happened last weekend when the first two spots in the weekly BO “Top Tens” were animated features. Studio wisdom was the notion that animated flicks would “cancel each other out” hurting the ticket sales on both. Nope, not this time, though the rapid downhill trajectory of a certain scarlet speedster aided their performance. Could this brand-new animated feature snag a spot in the top five with the other two holdovers? Mind you, that globetrotting archeologist will crack his bullwhip into the upper slots on the roster. However, families may want to return to the sea after that recent Disney live-action remake and dive into the adventures of another mythical nautical being, RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN.

Wait a sec, isn’t the Kraken a monstrous destructive demon from the ocean’s depths, from CLASH OF THE TITANS, as in “Release the…”? Well, the savvy narrator at the start of this story sets us straight. It seems that the Krakens are really the protectors of the sea, battling other “beasties’ including those savage mermaids (so they’re “baddies”). Plus it turns out that a family of Krakens lives on the land in the port city of Oceanside as the Gillmans (figures). They can “pass” as long as they stay out of the water, and cover their gills with high collars and turtleneck sweaters. The title character, Ruby (voice of Lana Condor) is a high schooler sharing a home with her bratty kid brother Sam (Blue Chapman), crafting wizard and shop owner dad Arthur (Coleman Domingo), and successful real estate agent mom Agatha (Toni Colette). Ruby really wants to go to the upcoming prom with her crush Connor, but Agatha nixes the notion since the dance is on the deck of a big tourist touring ship. But then Ruby’s rebellious pals decide to attend the party “ironically”, so Ruby sets her sights on her dream guy. Oh, but she botches the “prom-posal” and knocks Connor into the “drink”. Ruby saves him, but the seawater transforms her into a multi-tentacled, Godzilla-sized monster. After she dries off and shrinks back to normal (away from the hundreds of digital devices that captured her “rampage”), Ruby confides to her visiting Uncle Brill (Sam Richardson). To answer her questions he guides her deep beneath the surface to get the answers from his mother and her “Grandmamah” (Jane Fonda), the Kraken Quenn. It seems that Agatha gave up her title to live on the land. Ruby returns home hoping to confront her mother. But a new girl shows up at school to complicate things. Perhaps Chelsea (Annie Murphy) has a similar secret. Could she derail Rby’s big night with Connor? More importantly, will Ruby embrace her royal nautical heritage before she’s “discovered”?

The diverse vocal cast, composed of big-screen newcomers and veterans, enhance this whimsical tale. Connor is quite impressive as the teen hero, full of emotion with her pals and in her budding romance, while also showing us her anger over the family history denied to her. Collette as her mum Agatha revels in her hectic balance of sales and family dynamics, loving her new “land” life, but finally realizing that she must embrace her “warrior princess” past. A big part of the latter is Grandmamah, who is given a feisty and haughty tone by Fonda, is thrilled by her newly discovered grandkids, and revels in a bit of mischief with Ruby. Richardson brings an endearing goofball charm to the flaky and fun Uncle Brill. Another comedy pro, Will Forte, is aboard as an old local “salt” who seems to be somewhat related to the Simpsons’ sea captain (“Argh, matey”) and the talking “seadog” picture in the attic of Seth Myers during his “late night lockdown” a couple of years ago. However, Gordon (as in Gordon Lighthouse…clever) has an over-caffeinated mania to his guttural rants.

As with many animated features, this is overseen by a directing “tag team” duo, Kirk Demicco and Faryn Pearl. They’ve created a dazzling colorful world on land and underwater, offsetting soft pastels with bouncy bursts of near-fluorescent hues of violet and deep blue. The Gillman family has a “loosey-gooey” way of movement, a rubbery lurch as though their inner frames were a variation of a classic toy of my youth, the Slinky (“fun for a girl and a boy”), so I’m officially ancient. As with other recent CG flicks (LUCA for one), the artists have done variations of anime facial designs and expressions, which work well to convey the ultra-dramatic teenagers. Unfortunately, the script loses focus around the midpoint to set up a big fantasy action-packed showdown finale. Plus it explores many of the themes of maturity (really puberty) that were better discussed in Pixar’s TURNING RED a few years ago (from giant red panda to towering tentacled “beastie”). And much like the overrated THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES, too many slapstick sequences are slowed down (like “bullet-time” in THE MATRIX) in order for the characters to “get in your face” with distorted bits of “mugging”. The preteen set may find this engaging, but after the marvels of the Spider-Verse, animation aficionados may be “treading water’ in the familiar “depths’ and “shallow” interludes at the “surface” of RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN. “Glub, glub”.


2 Out of 4


RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN is now playing in theatres everywhere

THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE – Review

(from left) Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.

As I mentioned in last week’s review of the big D&D flick (which topped the box office charts), the 2023 Spring season of game and toy based-movies has finally reached its biggest destination, or at least until Mattel’s “power couple” arrives. And much like last week’s trio of releases, it’s a nostalgic ‘deep dive”, going back over 40 years. Mind you this duo and their giant video game franchise hit the big screen 30 years, in live-action, and is now considered a loopy bit of campy fun. Ah, but there’s no more glued-on phony facial hair in this one because it’s all rendered in lush computer-generated animation by one of the more successful not-Pixar studios of the past couple of decades. But can they jump (and gobble and drive) from the minions to tackle THE SUPER MARIO BROS> MOVIE? And…start…


Before we get to meet the guys, we’re transported to a weird world of ice where an army of fierce fightin’ penguins meets their match in the Kupa turtle army led by the menacing, fire-breathing Bowser (voice of Jack Black). Meanwhile, back in the Big Apple, scrappy plumber bros Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) have opened up their own repair biz but don’t get any respect from former boss Spike ( Sebastian Maniscalco) or even their own family. And after a disastrous first gig, they’re thinking about throwing in the (very wet) towel. But then Mario sees that their neighborhood is being flooded by water rising through the sewer grates and manhole covers. It looks like the city crews can’t get a handle on it, so the boys join the fight. Unfortunately, the water sweeps them further down, below the streets, into a long-neglected sub, sub-area. That’s when a weird glowing pipe sucks in the brothers. Luigi lands in a dark scary land, near of graveyard and a nearby black castle with a lava moat. Mario drops into the Mushroom (his least favorite food) Kingdom where he meets the helpful Toad (Keegan_Michael Key), who tells him that the best way to find Luigi is to ask the land’s ruler, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) for help. But she’s got her hands full with the news of the approaching Kupa army and Bowser (who wants to wed her). She believes that they must join forces with the Kong Kingdom and so the trio travels there. Their king, Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen) will only help if Mario can defeat his son, the reigning “maze-fighting” champ Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) in the big arena. But even if he’s victorious over the hulking brute, will Mario reunite with Luigi, before Bowser claims this strange land and sets his sights on the world above?


The all-star cast sounds as though they’re having a blast voicing these iconic characters that were probably a big part of their childhood. Pratt (who does a bit of the Italian dialect in an early sequence) is properly heroic and confident as Mario, even as his training and a certain ape pummel him. Day is the shakey, in-need-of-protecting kid brother who finally finds his inner warrior thanks to the love of his big bro. Taylor-Joy is an approachable princess, kind of a big sister or sitter to the duo, who is far from the typical storybook “damsel in distress”. Key is full of squeaky-voiced charm as the ever-helpful Toad. Armisen brings a bit of off-kilter snark to the rascally Cranky Kong. Bowser is given a gravely-voiced gravitas by Black (I keep thinking of Mickey’s nemesis Pete), who makes him into a soulful lounge lizard at the piano for his anthem love ballads for “Peaches”. Sure, they’re terrific, but the stand out for me was the perfect casting of Rogen as an agitated aggressive grumpy gorilla, who boasts while he bashes, but is capable of “niceness”. Seth’s familiar chuckle just sounds right coming out of the mouth of the muscular barrel-tosser.

Oh, the aforementioned animation house is the French branch of Illumination. This isn’t their first licensed property (the Seuss stories), so they ably adapt the pixel people into full fluid moving cartoon stars (there was a Saturday morning cartoon in the late 80s). As this is a co-production with Nintendo, the classic character designs are closely followed, somehow making the story work between the more “realistic” Peach to the “bigfoot-style” brothers, the 30s take on the Kongs, and the funny fiendish Bowser and his reptile crew. The use of 80s pop-tunes seems to work within the tale’s action beats. Bits of the gameplay (coins, boxes, and ‘shrooms) are cleverly dropped in, along with some witty bits of slapstick and dialogue. Special kudos to the color stylists who created some eye-popping rainbow-hued backdrops and props. This isn’t a huge ground-breaking achievement in animation history, but it moves along at a good pace for both kids and their folks making this “family fare” that’s better than most world expect. Maybe I wouldn’t use that “s” word, but I’d say that smarty, stylish, and silly work for THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE. And Santa, how about a solo Donkey Kong spin-off flick, ‘puh-leeze’?!

3 out of 4

THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE is now playing in theatres everywhere

KNOCK AT THE CABIN – Review

Well, we’re past what is considered the worst (bitter cold and snowy) months of Winter (for some parts of the country), which may get many folks thinking about a nice getaway. Y’know an out-of-the-way place, miles from the bustling city where you can recharge and re-connect with your partner, and maybe your expanding family. You can almost smell the embers and feel the warmth from a fireplace in that cabin deep in the forest, yards away from a clear blue lake. Ah, but your pessimistic side may wonder about predators. Could that twig-snap ending the quiet be bears, wolves, wildcats, or, worst of all, people? In this new thriller, they’re wanting more than money or your vehicle. And since a particular “name-above-the-title” director helms this, we know that we’re in for lots of turns and “twists” when we hear a KNOCK AT THE CABIN.

Over the opening credits, we’re treated to an odd “art show” with a montage of pen and pencil sketches of doom and destruction drawn on take-out menus, receipts, and other bits of “scrap paper”. From there we’re sent deep into the woods as a sweet little girl, perhaps seven or eight years old, collects grasshoppers for a big glass jar. Her eyes dart up to spot something much bigger than any insect, namely a massive bald man (resembling a giant from one of her beloved fairy tales). He stops his walk a few feet from her and quietly introduces himself as Leonard (Dave Bautista). She hesitantly responds with her name, Wen (Kristen Cui). As they converse she sees three other people strolling up into view. Leonard tells her that she should tell her parents to let them into their rustic retreat. Wen scurries away into the log house and frantically tells this to her two daddies, Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge), on the back patio. Just after they go inside and bolt the doors, Leonard tells them to open up and that they won’t be harmed. Through the windows, the men see that these intruders have odd makeshift weapons (a pick/mallet with a long chain, a pitchfork/axe, etc.). Andrew tries to scare them off with his own weapon, a gun, which unfortunately is in a locked safe in the back of their SUV yards way in the driveway outside.. Finally, the quartet bursts thru the windows and doors, instigating a wild struggle that leaves Eric knocked cold. When he comes to, one of the strangers is tending to his head wound. Oh, and he and Andrew are tied up, with Wen sitting at their feet shivering with fear.

Things get really weird as the “gang” takes turns introducing themselves (almost as though they’re at an acting audition). Leonard is a second-grade teacher, Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird) is a nurse, Ardianne (Abby Quinn) is a chef and single mother, and Redman (Rupert Grint) is a utility worker with a dark past. Oh, they’re not there for a robbery. The men are stunned as Leonard explains that the quartet has a shared vision of several disasters that will culminate in the planet’s end. And the only way to prevent it is for the family trio to become a duo, willingly (the foursome can’t execute them, nor can suicide be an option). When a TV newsflash tells of several horrific simultaneous global tsunamis, the invaders perform a violent act to “drive the point home”. With the clock ticking, and more reports trickling in, the captured men plot an escape, while pushing aside thoughts that their captors may not share a doomsday madness. Could humanity’s fate rest with their decision?

Since the film studios’ marketing team is highlighting him in all the TV spots and posters, I suppose Bautista is the lead here (not surprisingly, given his years in the MCU). Though his Leonard is the least animated of the invading quartet, his quiet, mannered line delivery, and towering physical presence help bring a real gravitas to the offbeat premise. We know that Leonard will reject cruelty, but his demeanor shows us that he’s prepared to handle his mission. Almost the opposite of Redman played with a snarl by the usually jovial Grint (another castmate with a big franchise history). Perhaps to compete with Leonard’s bulk, Redman gives in to his ugliest impulses, “chomping at the bit” to unleash his demons, making him the gang’s dangerous “wild card”. As for the defending duo, Aldridge’s Andrew seems to “handle the reigns” as the family protector, fiercely spitting out retorts to the gang when they have the upper hand (while his own hands are tightly bound). Aldridge’s hyper-focused glare illustrates his smoldering anger at the world’s dismissal of his life and love. Goff’s Eric shares some of that passion, but tries to keep it in check, not wanting to “mix it up”, but this new crisis leaves him little choice, though he’s more questioning than his mate. Back to the intruders, Amuka-Bird as Sabrina can’t quite set aside her altruistic “healer” habits and has to truly push herself to carry out the “agenda”. And that’s much the same for Quinn’s Ardiane whose maternal instincts aren’t jettisoned for “the greater good”, especially when dealing with Wen whose sweet, open-eyed innocence is the fuel that nourishes Andrew and Eric’s will to survive and triumph over near-impossible odds.

No doubt you “got’ that the “twist” director is M. Night Shyamalan, who is directing from the screenplay adaptation of Paul Tremblay’s novel “The Cabin at the End of the World” which he co-wrote with Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman. It’s a quirky remix of DESPERATE HOURS and ON THE BEACH with a modern marriage spin, though this may play better than the same-sex duos of last year in STRANGE WORLD, BROS, and SPOILER ALERT (which co-starred Aldridge). The cast makes the opening act very tense as we shift from the slow-rising tension of Wen’s bonding with Leonard to the outright terror of the home under siege. Unfortunately, things go a bit wonky with each of the captors’ “get to know me” monologues which have a forced whimsical stagecraft feel (as though a spotlight clicks on at the start of the character’s bio). And though the film’s been slapped with an R rating, the most gruesome acts occur “off camera’, with cuts to reaction close-up and the camera “drifting aside’ as though a PG-13 label was desired. This doesn’t help the story’s pacing problem as the flow of suspense is diluted by flashbacks to Eric and Andrew’s trials (a “meet the parents” disaster) and triumphs (adopting Wen). A much-needed jolt is gained with the news reports, though the footage captures more than most “as it’s happening” possibly could). This leads to an ending that just comes to a thudding halt, made more awkward with a shoehorned mythology reference. Though this only clocks in at 100 minutes, these tonal shifts make it feel closer to the bloated “end of last year’s duds”s. As the lights go up, we’re left with a feeling that this may have worked better as an installment of one of the classic TV anthologies like “Thriller” or either of the Rod Serling-hosted shows. Now that’s a real knock on KNOCK AT THE CABIN.

1.5 out of 5

KNOCK AT THE CABIN is now playing in theatres everywhere

TICKET TO PARADISE – Review

Still Photography on the set of “Ticket To Paradise”

Hmmm, now this is something pretty rare. The two films I’m reviewing for this weekend have a few things in common, “subject-wise” (y’know, aside from being in color, being a “talkie”, etc.). This too concerns an estranged couple reuniting for a non-holiday event. With RAYMOND & RAY, it’s about two stepbrothers having to travel to their dad’s funeral, while this new release is about an estranged (long-divorced) parents having to travel to their daughter’s wedding. And it’s not a two-hour car trip, but a rather long flight to an exotic island. Oh, and the former marrieds are played by Oscar-winning Hollywood royalty, or about as close as you can get to that. Plus it’s their fourth flick acting opposite each other (fifth if you count when he directed her). So lots of moviegoers are hoping that their chemistry is still potent as they go to their multiplex box office, or more likely its website, to purchase a TICKET TO PARADISE.

In a bit of a switcheroo, the story begins with the main couple still apart. Each is telling their best buddy about how impossible it was to live with the other (with widely different riffs on their meeting, courtship, etc.). This all leads back to them being “pulled back in” by their only child Lily (Kaitlyn Dever). She wants them both in attendance for her law school graduation ceremony and assures them that their reserved seats will be in distant sections of the auditorium. So the big day arrives and …David (George Clooney) begrudgingly takes his place right next to his ex Georgia (Julia Roberts). Then the duo takes their daughter, along with her best pal/college roomie Wren (Billie Lourd) to the airport for her post-grad “vacay” to Bali. Her parents heave a sigh of relief as the ladies enter the gate, knowing they won’t have to endure each other for a loooong time (or so they hope). Lily and Wren have “tons o’ fun” until they get separated from their tour group while snorkeling. Luckily the long swim to shore is avoided when they spot a boat. And the luck keeps rolling along as Lily is immediately smitten by their rescuer, a hunky young seaweed farmer (there’s such a thing) Gede (Maxime Bouttier). Soon she’s contacting her folks again to invite them to her “destination wedding” to him. And, wouldn’t you know it, they get booked in the same section, on the next flight to the island. Plus (talk about a “co-inkee-dink”), the pilot is Georgia’s much-younger French “bae” Paul (Lucas Bravo). When the duo arrives they cease their bickering long enough to agree to join forces to stop this too-hasty nuptials (she’s throwing away her law career, darn it). But can these former feuding lovers really work together, or can true love really triumph against such formidable forces?

So the best description of the acting style of the two leads may seem like an insult, though it’s certainly not my intention. As the film progressed I feel as though Ms. Roberts and Mr. Clooney were, well, …coasting. It’s not that they weren’t making any effort, but rather they’re so confident and “at ease” with their screen personas that they were just going “with the flow” feeling that their audience will follow their path. This certainly was the case for many classic screen pairings of the “Golden Age” such as William Powell and Myrna Loy or Spencer Tracy and Kathryn Hepburn. It’s not just that their characters engage in playful sniping at one another. In a couple of sequences, they talk about the dissolution of their married union with remorse and regret. And their uneasy alliance results in some truly awful behavior. Yet somehow the screen personas of the two can elevate even the frothiest of premises. This audience goodwill carries over a bit to their screen sibling as Dever scores many laughs in the ingenue”second-gen” role. She’s engaging, but it feels like a bit of a “step back” after her “take charge” snarky smart turn last week in the Shakespearian farce ROSALINE, which far fewer people will see since it went straight to Hulu. Dever delivers, but the role is no challenge for her skills. Happily, she’s often paired with Lourd as Wren who brings some much-needed off-kilter energy as the rom-com cliche, the “hard-partying” frisky BFF. Speaking of another rom-com cliche, the very photogenic Bravo gives the thankless role of Paul, the “Baxter” who’s not much of a romantic threat, though his best efforts make him more sweet and endearing than this clueless doofus deserves. As for the groom Gede, Bouttier is the required gorgeous and way-too-understanding “dreamboat” who’s got a boat.


Another rom-com vet is at the helm, namely Ol Parker who last gave us the MAMMA MIA sequel. Oh and he co-wrote this with Daniel Pipski, it took a “tag team” to concoct this “lighter than air” trifle. Again, this is not meant as a “burn” as many will enjoy this while in their cushy multiplex recliner, but the plot specifics will probably evaporate from the brain during the ride home. Well, you may ponder a trip to Bali as it’s eye-poppingly beautiful here, though much of it was actually shot in Queensland, Australia (a good ad here for their own travel industry). This may be the best current example of an “auntie” or “grammy” movie as it’s a way to treat a relative to a matinee that won’t upset them (or tax the noggin), despite a blink and you’ll miss it “F-bomb”. The back-and-forth snipping between the leads gets tiresome, but it just goes to prove how powerful, and forgiving, the chemistry and charisma of these two movie icons are. They’re truly the reason why many fans will believe their theatre stub was a TICKET TO PARADISE.


2 Out of 4


TICKET TO PARADISE is now playing in theatres everywhere

HALLOWEEN ENDS – Review

Michael Myers (aka The Shape) in Halloween Ends, co-written, produced and directed by David Gordon Green.

Wow, that time of year snuck up on us once more, much like the creeper of this looooong-time horror franchise. Yes, Fall is fully here and that big holiday is mere weeks away. And this is the (unlucky) thirteenth entry in the series that began 44 years ago (feels like we just marked its big 4-0). As though we’ve not been bombarded with horror flicks the last few weeks, from THE INVITATION to current box office champ SMILE. Ah, but this is different since it’s being treated as a major release from a big-time studio, and it stars the original’s “break-out” actress, who has had a career way beyond that early label of “scream queen”, though many genre stars proceeded her. But this was a true “game-changer” back in 1978. But will its implied “conclusion’ tingle the spines of twenty-first-century moviegoers? More importantly, will they accept the idea that HALLOWEEN ENDS?


Oddly, this ending begins with a flashback to 2019. It is that holiday setting, and another teenage babysitter Corey (Rohan Campbell), a fella’ this time, endures a deadly prank that will impact his life. Cut (natch’) to today. Well, here’s where it gets a bit confusing as it is four years since the events of KILLS which was released a year ago (wonky movie timelines). That original sitter, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), seems to be on the road to a healed psyche. She’s not training in a wooded “bunker’ any longer, instead, she resides in a nice cozy house (the old family “house of horrors” was torn down) with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak), who has begun a career as a nurse. And much of Laurie’s time is taken up with her writing as she types away at an inspirational memoir. Things are pretty quiet since it has been a few years since “you-know-who” stalked Haddonfield, Illinois. But there’s lots of drama left there as Laurie befriends Corey when some local hooligans gang up on him, which leads him to a “bloody cute” (literally) meeting with Allyson. They even hit a pre-holiday party at a local bar. But then he takes off his scarecrow mask and the “haters” break them up, which leads to him taking a tumble off an overpass. When he wakes up Corey hears grumbling from someone in a drainage tunnel. This empties into an underground level that is now the lair of a very weak “shape”, or “boogeyman” Michael Myers. Yet somehow he spares Corey when their eyes meet and they seem to share a twisted spiritual connection. Soon this unlikely duo is erasing names from Corey’s “s*#t list” as his romance with Allyson heats up. But Laurie sees a change in his eyes and fears that the “evil” may have a new host. Can she save her family from the new threat and a very old enemy?

Aside from “the Shape” the main reason for this “new trilogy” is the white-hot stat power generated by the formidable Ms. Curtis. And for her many fans, well to put it bluntly, she brings it, all of her skills and strength, to what she insists is her final waltz with Laurie. The last entry was a bit of a letdown as her character was mostly confined to a hospital room (much as in that second flick from 1981), happily here she’s in the “thick of it”, action-wise. But she’s more than the grim avenger of four years ago. We see her sweet side as Curtis lets a shy smile emerge while flirting with the charming Will Patton, who’s back as Hawkins. Plus there’s the maternal dealing with Allyson, pared with lots of conflict and remorse (Laurie’s not going to blow this second chance at parenting). Matichak captivates as the “final Strode sibling”, though too often she’s regulated to being the “good gal” defending the “bad boy” she adores because nobody else “understands”. Until it devolves into a cliched angsty star-crossed romance, she has a nice initial rapport with Campbell’s Corey who deftly turns from dweebish teen to haunted twenty-something as he slowly succumbs to the darkness of the small-town taunts and torments. Ultimately the script calls for him to emote via sneers and snarls when away from Alyson and as he falls fully under the spell of the Shape.

The best thing say of this “finale” is that it does indeed feel like one, and it’s miles above last year’s dreary. overwrought “message-y” misfire (none of this “the town is the real evil” hoohah). It’s odd since most of the same creative team made this one, led by director and co-writer (it took a quartet) David Gordon Green. He keeps the third act moving briskly, from one gore-fueled set piece to another, which should satisfy the fans who may grow restless waiting for their masked “hero” to do his “business” after the Corey subplot and the more “mellow” Laurie. Actually, this one’s main problem might be a script that’s too ambitious as it tries to meld a thrill ride with bits of family drama and an unlikely mentoring saga. Plus the final “throw-down” is marred by the off-kilter actions of a major player. Well, at least the “hit list” is made up of some really awful folks (though maybe not deserving of such extreme reprimands). Another plus is the always sinister musical themes that have been given a tweak or two by the master, John Carpenter, and his audio crew. And as I said, it feels like a final farewell, but only the box office can guarantee that HALLOWEEN ENDS.

2 Out of 4

HALLOWEEN ENDS is now playing in select theatres and streams exclusively for 60 days on Peacock beginning on 10/15/2022

BROS – Review

So what if Valentine’s Day is nearly five months away, any time of the year can work for the right romantic comedy (or “rom-com’, its modern genre term). Actually many moviegoers would enjoy seeing an engaging couple meet cute as they try to keep warm on a blustery Fall afternoon. And that’s just what happens with this weekend’s big film release. Oh, things are a bit, no a lot, different this time. It’s not “boy meets girl”, but rather boy, no “man meets man”. Yup, it’s a gay rom-com, though they’ve been supporting players in past flicks, often the next-door neighbor (nuzzling a kitty) or the co-worker who’s cheering on the leading lady (“You go, girl!!”). Not this time. and as one of the film’s co-stars (and co-writers) has been telling talk show hosts and showbiz reporters, there’s a lot riding on this. The major studios are curious to see how the audience will react to a funny love story centered on two very mismatched BROS.

The first part of the duo we meet is the story’s narrator, a pessimistic outspoken podcaster (he’s the host of “The 11th Brick”, a reference to Stonewall), Bobby Lieber (Billy Eichner). He’s got many friends, but aside from late-night phone app “hook-ups”, he’s not found that special “one” (though he denies that he’s looking). And then he saw Aaron Shepard (Luke Macfarlane) dancing shirtless at a club, looking as though he just arrived from Mt. Olympus. Their first encounter is a bit awkward, But Bobby detects a “spark”, though Aaron seems to vanish like Claude Rains (look him up, kids). Eventually they exchange digits and begin a long series of texts to “feel each other out” while acting casual and indifferent. They both continue on with their lives as Bobby is one of the planners and organizers of a soon-to-open LGBTQ+ museum if the board of directors will agree on anything. And if they can score some big cash donations. Meanwhile, Aaron suits up for his 9 to 5 job as an estate planner. Eventually, the two spend the day together as Aaron enjoys Bobby’s snarky wit, while Bobby is dazzled by Aaron’s cocky confidence and that “eight pack”. Their relationship soars during a trip to Provincetown, then almost crashes when Aaron’s school days crush “comes out”. But can the couple survive the biggest “test”, the dreaded Christmas visit with Aaron’s somewhat stuffy parents?

In his feature lead acting debut, Eichner shows that there’s much more to his considerable talents than verbally “ambushing” unsuspecting New Yorkers (though that does take a lot of talent and chutzpah). Sure we’re expecting him to bring the laughs, which he does by the truckload, with scathing asides and gattling-gun barrages of “burns”. But his Bobby’s not merely a joke dispensing machine, he’s a man looking for love, and more importantly perhaps, respect. Eichner delivers a heart-wrenching monologue, offset by a lovely beach, all about growing up with folks who wanted him to “tone it down” and conform to the “norm” leading him to frustration as those with fewer gifts got much farther. There’s the professional longing offset with the personal ones, as he hesitantly decides to offer his heart to Aaron, played by Macfarlane, who also proves that he’s more than a handsome face atop an “etched in granite” body. This guy must project an aura of aloof “coolness”, but he too wants more than the “pleasures of the flesh” to just “hang” with someone interesting. But Macfarlane shows us that the “perfect ten” has his own inner battles, too. Aaron thinks he can’t keep up with Bobby intellectually, plus he has to deal with a touch of “self-loathing’ as he suppresses his true “career calling’ for fear it would re-enforce gender stereotypes. Happily, the duo is surrounded by a wonderful group of great comic actors. Bobby must deal with a terrific but bickering ensemble that makes up the museum’s board, with Oscar-winning screenwriter Jim Rash grabbing lots of chuckles as Robert, who thinks that bisexuals are short-changed (“Not enough ‘B’ in the LGBTQ!”). Then there’s the scene-stealing SNL star Bowen Yang as a petulant, flighty filthy-rich TV producer. Oh, and we’re treated to several stars playing themselves and having a great time skewering their public personas (I won’t spoil the surprise delights).

Oh, did I forget to mention that Eichner co-wrote the screenplay with director Nicholas Stoller (the NEIGHBORS flicks)? Well, consider that slight undone. Stoller keeps the energy flowing smoothly, avoiding the deadly mid-section “lull” of so many comedies. And he confidently hits the comedic “beats”, knowing when to cut in for a superb reaction glare from Bobby, and when to cut in with a quick satiric aside (Bobby’s disastrous audition to be part of a beloved TV quintet). But somehow the comedy doesn’t drown out the tenderness of the romance, perhaps due to that clever screenplay that teases but really embraces all the “romcom” standards: the swooning “meet”, the trepidation, the “city stroll”, the near “bust-up”, and the “declaration”. The terrific jabs at basic cable TV romcom were made better when I learned that Macfarlane had roles in so many of them. Some moviegoers may be more than a tad skittish with this new “twist” on the beloved genre, but considering the tepid recent entries, this new spin is just the thing to recharge the staple. Those who take a chance will be richly rewarded with the engaging and really funny love story all about these BROS.

3.5 Out of 4

BROS is now playing in theatres everywhere

BEAST (2022) – Review

Hard to believe but Summer will soon be a distant memory, so if you can’t get outta’ town before packing the kids off to school, there’s still time for a virtual “vacay” at the ole’ multiplex. Oops, maybe the tots should skip this excursion. So, is this flick set in romantic Paris, or perhaps on an exotic island? This tale has no ocean or beach, though it has a lot in common with a couple of movie islands (namely Amity and Skull). Still, there are lots of vast open areas to explore and observe the local wildlife (er…see the aforementioned isles). Yes, the wildlife couldn’t be much wilder when a getaway turns deadly when a dad out of his element must protect his daughters from a truly savage ferocious BEAST.

The film’s opening scene sets the tone and premise. An ambush of a lion pride by a group of heavily-armed poachers doesn’t turn out as they hoped when the only surviving cat turns the tables on them. Cut to the next day as a small plane touches down on a dusty South African airstrip. On board is New York doctor Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) who has brought his teenage daughters Norah (Leah Jeffries) and Meredith (Iyana Halley) on vacation to the birthplace of their late mother. The two young women are bickering almost immediately (the heat and no wifi) until the group is met by Nate’s old pal, game preserve manager Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley). The two go way back (Martin introduced Nate to his late wife), so he opens his home to the trio. That evening’s dinner is rough as the girls (especially ‘Mer”) voice their resentment over Nate’s absence during Mom’s illness, as the two had separated earlier. Over late night drinks, Nate tells Martin of his guilt and his hope that the family can bond over the trip. But tomorrow’s a fresh start as Martin loads them up in his jeep for a tour of the sprawling preserve, After a fairly close visit with a friendly pride of lions, the quartet travels to a quaint little village. But instead of friendly faces, they discover eviscerated corpses. And Martin knows the attack is recent (campfires still smoldering), so he hustles his friends back into the jeep just as the killer lion charges them. Naturally, the spot is so remote that they can’t get a signal on their cellphones, walky-talkies, and CB radio. When the jeep fails, can these four possibly survive the jaws and killer claws of this man-killing predator?

Though he’s adept at playing the confident action hero, Elba is able to step into an entirely different heroic role, a man who knows he’s in over his head but somehow pushes himself into protector mode (papa bear, perhaps). As we first meet him, Nate is almost walking on emotional eggshells, trying to say and do the right things to connect with his kin. A few drinks reveal his tremendous remorse over failing to hold the family together. Elba later shows us, through his terrified eyes, that Nate will give his all this time in order to triumph. It helps that he’s got great chemistry with the always engaging Copley whose Martin loves being the “Dutch uncle” while still telling Nate what he needs to hear, the lovely and the ugly. He fawns over the daughters, but his quiet masks a dark secret that will make an impact during the “siege”. Halley as ‘Mer’ mixes the usual teenage rebellion with seething anger towards her dad, thwarting his every effort at re-connecting. The younger Norah played by Jefferies wants to break free of the “baby” role while still craving parental security.

Essential in the “animal attack” genre flick is the impact of the “villain from nature” , so from that aspect the movie works due to the expert CGI rendering and the motion-capture work (I’m sure there will be on the set photos of actors with those padded scuba suits with ping-pong balls and maybe a stuffed lion-head cap). The lion is quite scary and director Baltasar Kormakur knows his thriller history well enough to be frugal with the attacks in the first act. He’s also adept at putting us right “in the action” with his camera swirling about the “prey” as they try to get a ‘lock’ on the attacker’s proximity (the most effect is Nate trying to get out of a maze made of brittle brush and sticks). Ultimately the uneven script gets in his way as the daughters make far too many bad decisions and turn into screeching “bait”. There is a nice sense of panic mixed with claustrophobia in the disabled jeep, though CUJO probably did it better decades ago. And speaking of classic terror creatures, the single-mindedness of the predatory certainly owes much to the JAWS variants as each one seemed to care more about exacting revenge than “chowing down”. And like those “finned fiends”, the unstoppable lion appears to be a very distant relative of Wile E. Coyote (or the more apropos Sylvester the Cat) in that he quickly shakes off any calamity that would disable most animals, and is back in the next sequence with barely a blemish or limp. Plus there are countless “call-backs” as different wildlife trivia and cultural bits are presented early in order to connect with later scenes and the somewhat ludicrous “final showdown”. Elba and Copley do make a terrific team, so let’s hope for another pairing, one more inspired than this fairly “toothless” BEAST.

1.5 Out of 4

BEAST is now playing in theatres everywhere

EASTER SUNDAY (2022) – Review

(from left) Tito Manny (Joey Guila), Regina (Elena Juatco), Eugene (Eugene Cordero), Joe Valencia (Jo Koy), Tita Teresa (Tia Carrere), Tita Yvonne (Melody Butiu) and Susan (Lydia Gaston) in Easter Sunday, directed by Jay Chandrasekhar.

So, when’s the perfect time to release a big family comedy about a big family event that happens in the Spring? Why, the “dog days” of Summer, naturally. Or at least that’s the thinking behind this weekend’s answer to the big star-fueled “action-on-the-rails” blockbuster. But what was the question, again? Yeah, so when will another “stand-up” superstar branch into the movies (most go right to TV) with an “all ages” funny flick loosely based on his life, and his sell-out comedy concerts? Move over Amy Schumer, Pete Davidson, and Kevin Hart, here comes some competition with a unique, often spicy ethnic voice. So, strap in for one wild and raucous EASTER SUNDAY.

An opening title montage introduces us to the hectic world of rising stand-up comic Joe Valencia (Jo Koy). When he’s not hustling from one club stage to the next, he tries to spend some quality time with his almost-out-of-high-school son Junior (Brandon Wardell), when he can wrangle him away from his ex. Almost preventing that is a big audition for a supporting role in a network TV sitcom pilot, though they want him to “hit up the accent” he uses in his act while talking about his Filipino family. Speaking of, his matriarch, single mom Susan (Lydia Gaston) “blows up” his phone with her concern about his arrival in time for the Easter Sunday family festivities. Thankfully Joe and Jr. hit the road, leaving LA for Daly City, just south of ‘Frisco. As soon as they arrive the duo are plunged into lots of “drama”. Mama is feuding with sister Tita Theresa (Tia Carrere), over…it’s unclear, but she threatens to boycott her post-church service lunch. Then there’s cousin Eugene (Eugene Cordero) who has taken Joe’s investment money for a taco truck and has instead diverted it to a “hype-truck”, selling designer labels “doodads”. Unfortunately, he’s gotten his inventory from a swaggering “wannabe” gangster named Dev Deluxe (Asif Ali), who wants his 40 grand today. At least Jr. has met a cool local girl named Ruth (Eva Nobelzada), while Joe has been pelted with calls from his aggressive LA agent (Jay Chandrasekhar) who wants him to fly back for a post-holiday dinner “re-audition”. But while outrunning Dev’s goons, acquiring some “hot” sports memorabilia, and hooking up with an old flame and a local celeb, will he be able to enjoy the massive feast his mom has “slaved over” or will he put career before “family time”?

So, how’s Koy as the lead of a feature film? Pretty decent, though he relies a bit too much on reprising some stand-up bits in certain scenes (at the church…oookay). But he conveys the idea of a man literally being pulled by all sides, or a variation of the old variety show “plate-spinner”, though one of them’s gonna’ crash to the floor. It helps that he’s willing to be the “straight man” to many of the terrific “scene-stealers” ready to nab the spotlight. Primary is the always grinning Cordero who doesn’t fully understand his dire straights thinking he can charm his way out of anything since it seems to work with most of his family, except the frustrated Joe. Gaston is endearing as the sweet “noodge” who doesn’t “get” her son’s life but tries to be his anchor. Ali’s a very funny comic villain using his manic bluster to puff up his petite frame. Carrere is in full “diva mode” as the fussy competitive sister. But really shaking things up is Koy’s BFF from the “club days”, Tiffany Haddish, who’s a comic “stealth missile” destroying everything and everyone in sight during her two sequences (if she could find a lead role that showcases her like this). Another comic, Jimmy O. Yang scores some laughs as a reclusive retail hustler. And Lou Diamond Phillips seems to be having a blast as he satirizes his screen persona. Perhaps the biggest laughs come from Chandrasekhar as the agent who needs to talk right away but loses interest quickly (“Oops, going through a tunnel, losing you…”).

Wouldn’t you know that the director gave himself a plum comic role (in the tradition of Sydney Pollack and Mel Brooks)? But then Chandrasekhar has honed his comedy skills as part of the Broken Lizard crew, at the helm of many of their film projects, along with countless TV shows and a few other features. This may be the reason why his digs at “Tinsel-Town” feels so right and have the spark that most of the final act concerning the family dynamic lacks. At times the script recalls another funny franchise (it’s a wonder this was titled “My Big Fat Filipino Holiday”), or a “stitched together” compilation of the first three or four episodes of a TV sitcom. It’s often a tad exhausting to think of all the hijinks occurring over a single day, culminating in a bit of gunplay that feels out of sync with the bickering relatives. And all these conflicts get compressed and churned into a “feel good finale” that seems too “pat”. Still, it’s great to take a tour through a culture that Hollywood hasn’t explored and the fans of Koy’s comedy specials should find EASTER SUNDAY a pleasant bit of family fluff. Here’s hoping that his next screen effort offers more bite to the “bits”.

2.5 Out of 4

EASTER SUNDAY is now playing in theatres everywhere